Franklinite, Willemite and Calcite Mineral

This mineral sample comes from the world famous mineral deposits in Franklin, New Jersey, USA. The mines in New Jersey have yielded some of the most wondrous and unique minerals ever discovered, including this sample, which is a combination of franklinite, willemite and calcite. The dark grey specks embedded in this sample are Franklinite, a mineral of zinc, iron and manganese oxide, which is found in large enough amounts in Franklin to serve as an ore for the extraction of zinc and manganese. It is opaque with a metallic luster. The pale red grains in this sample are willemite, a zinc silicate mineral, which fluoresces strongly green under shortwave UV light. The willemite and franklinite are embedded in between larger grains of white calcite, a carbonate mineral. The calcite fluoresces brightly red under shortwave UV light. Specimens of these exotic and interesting minerals are truly valued by mineral collectors.